I'd like to have an alar base reduction, no tip or bridge work--what is the price range and can it be done under local? (photo)

I think my nose is way too big for my face. I would like to have an alar base reduction , no tip or bridge work , just the nostrils . What would be the price range for this procedure ? I also would want to have it under local anesthesia , to keep the costs down ,I was hoping this could be done for less than 2000 dollars . Is this possible ?

Doctor Answers 16

Alar base reduction

December 14th, 2012

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Doing an isolated alar base reduction is probably not going to give you a balanced and proportional nose. Most of the time, changes in one part of the nose will affect it's relationship with rest of the nose and even proportion to the rest of the face. Based on your photos, I would recommend that your consider reshaping the entire lower part of the nose, not just the alar base.

Alar Base Reduction with Narrow Nostrils?

January 5th, 2013

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Your nostrils are narrow, and alar base work would compromise the external nasal valves and make the tip appear larger. I would recommend reducing the width of the tip under local if that is your preference. The lowest fee I know of for this would be about $4000.

Alar base surgery

December 18th, 2012

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Alar base surgery is easily done under local anesthesia and for the price you are considering. However looking at your pictures you have thick skin and narrow airways. From an aesthetic point of view doing just alar reductions will probably give you a very unnatural appearence and a look of obvious surgery. My suggestion is to either do a complete rhinoplasty and keep eveything in proportion and natural or do nothing.

Sorry- Not a Good Candidate For An Alar Base Reduction

December 17th, 2012

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You could certainly have an isolated alar base reduction using a local anesthetic, and could probably find someone to do it for under $2000. Unfortunately, given the photos, you would almost certainly hate the result. Narrowing the base would make your tip look even bigger, would make your nose itself out of balance with the rest of your facial features, and would likely make you feel like you wasted your time, energy, and money. As much as it would be nice to save money, in order to achieve a balanced, natural, pleasing appearance, you would need to have a complete rhinoplasty addressing multiple issues. If you are still unsure of this advice, I would recommend seeing an experienced rhinoplasty surgeon who does computer imaging as a part of their consultation. They could show you what an isolated alar base reduction would look like, as well as showing you what could be reasonably expected from a complete rhinoplasty. Good luck.

Am I a Good Candidate for Alar Base Reduction?

December 17th, 2012

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From the photos, it seems that a Rhinoplasty to narrow the nasal tip cartilages would yield a more aesthetic improvement than an alar base reduction. The alar base reduction can only be performed when the nostrils are wide enough. Your nostrils are quite narrow which precludes using this technique.

Alar Base Reduction

December 17th, 2012

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Isolated alar base resections is rarely a good idea. Often times there is the need for additional work to be done in the tip area and maybe even the upper part of the nose. This is one where you really need to be examined by an experienced nasal cosmetic surgeon.

Alar Base Reduction

December 15th, 2012

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An alar base reduction is one of several maneuvers needed to give a balanced reduction and maintain facial harmony. You should be evaluated by a qualified and experienced surgeon who will give you recommendations after a thorough exam. And realistically, I don't think you will find anyone who will do a decent job for the budget you are working on. You get what you pay for and you will end up paying a lot more later when you need a revision for your rhinoplasty.

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